Rotatable brush for cleaning nursing nipples



May 21, 1957 J. D. ROY

ROTATABLEI BRUSH FOR CLEANING NURSING NIPPLES Filed April 21, 1955 INVENTOR 4. JOSEFHZZROX BY PM ATTORN EYS United States Patent 6 F 2,792,579 ROTATABLE BRUSH FOR CLEANING NURSING NIPPLES Joseph D. Roy, Lowell, Mass. Application April 21, 1955, Serial No. 502,883 3 Claims. (Cl. 15-25) This invention relates to a rotary brush for cleaning the interior surface of a nursing nipple.

Rotary brushes have heretofore been proposed for cleaning the inside of rigid objects such as bottles, cuspidors and the like and for cleaning the outside of rigid objects such as teeth. Usually an elongated tubular handle has been provided in which a crank shaft is rotatable, the crank shaft having a turning crank at One end and a suitable brush at the other end.

A nursing nipple, however, presents cleaning ditficulties not present in such rigid articles in that it is not only of yieldable material, such as rubber, but has minute apertures for the passage of liquid and air which must also be regularly cleaned. The mere rotation of brush bristles always in the same path around the inside of a nursing nipple, as in prior devices, would not clean out the most essential part of the nipple, namely the apertures.

It is the object of this invention to provide a handle and rotary brush for cleaning an article whereby the article may be moved axially relative to the handle and brush while the brush is rotated within the article. Thus the radial bristles describe overlapping spiral paths rather than circular paths and the axially extending bristles proximate the liquid aperture of the nipple tend to pass into and out of the aperture to clean the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a concaved or cup shaped forward face, on the handle of the brush, having a peripheral rim portion for positioning and sealing the base flange of a nipple while the nipple is moved axially to create pressure within the nipple. Air and liquid thus tends to be forced out of the aperture of the nipple with each axial reciprocation thereof on the brush to blow out any food particles clogging the aperture.

A further object of the invention is to provide an enlarged portion on the handle tapering down to a reduced portion having axially extending fins or flutes thereby providing a finger and thumb grip for the hand of an operator during the cleaning operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a handle and rotary brush with an enlarged handle portion for sealing the open end of a nipple and having perforations for admitting soapy water into the interior of the nipple during the brushing operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a handle and rotary brush for cleaning nursing nipples having the above advantages and yet being of low cost manufacture and rugged construction.

Other objects and advantages of the device will appear from the claims, the description of the drawings and from the drawing in which Fig. l is a side elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l with a nursing nipple positioned thereon,

Fig. 3 is a side view in section of the device.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the device, and

Fig. 5 is a front view of the device in section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

on line 3-3 of Fig. 4

"ice

As shown in the drawing the device 20 of this invention includes a handle 21 which is preferably elongated and of rigid plastic material. Handle 21 is provided with an axial bore 22 in which a crank shaft 23 is rotatable. Crank shaft 23 has turning means, in the form of a crank 24, at its rearward end and includes a straight portion 25 extending forwardly of handle 21. Preferably crank shaft 23 is formed of two twisted strands 26 and 27 terminating within a plastic knob of a well known type at the rearward extremity thereof and the forward extremity thereof at 28 is turned back upon itself.

A plurality of yieldable bristles 30, preferably of nylon, are anchored between the strands 26 and 27, to extend radially therefrom except at the bend in the extremity 28 where the bristles 30 extend axially. The tips 31 of the bristles 30 thus outline a figure which conforms to the shape of the inside face 32 of a nursing nipple 33.

It should be noted that nursing nipples such as 33 are resilient and usually formed of rubber with a main body 34 and a base flange 35. A minute aperture 36 for liquid is provided in the nipple tip and certain types of nipples also have air apertures such as 37 in the base flange which act as air valves to secure an even flow of liquid from the nursing bottle. The clogging of the liquid aperture 36 of any nursing nipple will prevent all flow therefrom and it is often necessary to run a needle through the same to remove particles of hardened nursing formula, or other matter, therefrom.

To assure the proper cleaning of the aperture 36 as well as of the inside face 32 of a nipple 33, a concaved, or cup-shaped, forward face 40 is provided on the handle 21. Forward face 40 is circular and approximately equal in overall area to the overall area of the base flange 35 of a nipple. The outer peripheral rim 41 of face 40 serves to position a nipple 33 slid axially over and supported on, the bristles 30. It also serves to seal the peripheral portion 42 of the base flange 35 when the nipple and handle are squeezed together in an axial direction by the hand of the operator. The central portion 43 of the concave forward face 40, however, forms a cavity which permits the main body 34 of a nipple 33 to be moved axially thereinto by the fingers of the operator as shown in Fig. 3. Upon release of finger pressure the inherent resiliency of the nipple causes the main body 34 to return to its original position shown in Fig. 2.

The repeated axial movement of the nipple 33 during the rotation of bristles 30 not only tends to push the axial bristles 30 through the aperture 36 but also repeatedly builds up slight pressure Within the nipple to blow fluid through aperture 36.

Air or cleaning liquid may enter the interior of a nipple 33, each time the nipple springs away from face 40, by passing under the base flange 35. However, it is preferred that the handle 21 be enlarged at 44 proximate the face 40, then taper inwardly at 45 and terminate rearwardly in a portion 46 of reduced diameter. Preferably, holes 47 are provided leading from the concave face 40 through the material of handle 21 to the face of the tapered portion 45. Thus air or cleaning liquid may freely penetrate the interior of a nipple 33 while rapid reciprocation of the nipple axially relative to the face 40 still tends to blow fluid through aperture 36 and to a limited extent through apertures 37.

A plurality of axially, or longitudinally extending fins or flutes such as 50 are spaced around handle 21 between the tapered portion 45 and the rearward end 51 of the handle. The spaces 52 between such fins form a thumb grip for preventing the turning of the handle with the crank shaft. Preferably the first and second fingers of the operators left hand straddle the nipple 33 and press it firmly against the rim of face 40 while the thumb of the operator rests in one of the recesses defined between the" tapered portion 45 forming a forward wall and two adjacent flutes 50 formingside' walls. Intermittent pres sure between the thumb and fingers, while the right hand is turning crank 24,, causes the main body of the nipple to reciprocate axially into'and out of the reeess formed by c ncave face 40 Of handle 21.

I claim: I

I. A device for cleaning the interior face of a resilient rubber nursing nipple, said device comprising a handle having an axial bore; a crank shaft rotatable in said bore", said'shafthaving turning means rearwardly of said handle and a straight portion extending axially and forwardly of said handle; a plurality of yieldable brush bristles secured to said forwardly extending shaft portion, the tips thereof being positioned, to support and engage the interiorface of a nipple slid axially thereover; a concave forward face on said handleconforming in outline and area"v to' the base flange of a" nipple, said concave face having any outer, peripheral rim adapted: to engage and substantially seal the peripheral edge'portion of the: base flange of a nippleand having a central face portion fortning a cavity adapted to permit limited forward and rearward axial movement of the remainder of said nipple relative to said brush and face and said handle having apertures leading from said concave forward face to, an exterior face thereof, said apertures being adapted to admit liquid to the interior of a nipple being cleaned by said device when immersed in such liquid.

2,, A device for cleaning the interior face of a resilient rubber nursing nipple, said device comprising a handle having an axial bore; a crank shaft rotatable in said bore, said shaft having turningmeans rearwardly of said handle and a straight portion extending axially and forwardly of said handle; a; plurality of yieldable brush bristles secured to'said forwardly extending shaft portion, the tips thereof being positioned to support and engage the interior face of a nipple slid axially thereover; a concave forward face on said handle conforming in outline and area to the base flange of a nipple, said concave face having an outer, peripheral rim adapted to engage and substantially seal the peripheral edge pOI'fiOil'of the base flange of a nipple and having a central face portion forming a, cavity adapted to permit limited forward and rearward axial movement of the remainder of said nipple relative to said brush and face and said handle tapering rearwardly' and'in'war'dly'froin said concave'forward face and having spaced, axially extending flutes on said tapered portion, said tapered portion forming a lateral forward Wall and said flutes forming a plurality of spaced longitudinal walls of recesses around said handle each adapted to receive the thumb of an operator.

3. device for cleaning the interior face of a resilient rubber nursing nipple; said device comprising a handle having an axial bore; a crank shaft rotatable in said bore, said shaft having turning means rearwardly of said handle and astraight portion extending axially and forwardly of said handle; a plurality of yieldable brush bristles secured to said forwardly extending shaftportion, the tips thereof being positioned to support and engage the interior face of a nipple slid axially thereover; a concave forward face on said handle conforming in outline and area to the base fia'ngeof a nipple, said concave face having an outer, peripheral rim adapted to engage and substantially seal the peripheral edge portion of the base flange of a nipple and having a central face portion forming a cavity adapted to permit limited forward and rearwar a xial movementof the remainder of said nipple relative to said brush and face and said shaft being ormed of twisted strands, with the terminal portion of said shaft bent back .upon itself and said bristles locked in place between said strands to extend both radially and axially of the shaft with the tips thereof completely out lining the interior face of a nipple.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 355,054 Bennett Dec. 28, 1886 1,014,236 Lawhon' Jan. 9, 1912 1,112,561 Roddel -1 Oct. 16, 1914 1,135,590 Lahue' Apr. 13, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,047 Great Britain of 1901 37,940 Germany Dec. 22, 1886 54,949 Germany Jan. 8, 1891 15408/33 Australia Dec. 4, 1934 

